


Grip My Heart (With Tiny Claws)

by Chechilia



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Animal Shelter, Birthday, Breakfast in Bed, Cats, Communication, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 19:56:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20233507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chechilia/pseuds/Chechilia
Summary: It's Merlin's birthday, and Arthur planned a surprise for him.





	Grip My Heart (With Tiny Claws)

**Author's Note:**

> This is pure fluff. Also, despite being written in Merlin's point of view, it somehow turned into a sort of character study of Arthur. Hope you'll enjoy it !

Merlin shivered as Arthur's finger trailed down his spine, softly, as to just bring him to the edge of consciousness. The touch brought goosebumps to his arms, even as he felt pleasantly warm, with his head pillowed on Arthur's chest and the sheets bunched up at his waist. Sighing in bliss, he burrowed himself further into the bed, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep, wrapped in Arthur's embrace.

Arthur, it seemed, had other ideas.

Merlin grunted when the finger reached the end of his tailbone, only to trail back up in a teasing caress. Arthur let out a chuckle as Merlin wiggled a little, trying to dislodge him as if he was an annoying insect, and brought up an arm to hold his boyfriend more securely against him.

"Come on, love, time to wake up."

Merlin's hair tickled his skin as Arthur's words brought him closer to wakefulness, the slow rumble reverberating through his body. Merlin didn't let out a whine just then, but it was a near thing.

"Le' me sleep," he mumbled pleadingly. "I won' 'ell, p'omise. 't'will be our sec'et."

"Sorry, love," Arthur murmured, "I'm afraid I can't let you sleep right now."

"Wil' do th' laund'y," Merlin replied. "Th' d'shes. An'thing."

Arthur chuckled fondly, accustomed to Merlin's bribes in the morning, and Merlin smiled contentedly as a warm hand closed at his nape, comforting, just as the other came to rest between his shoulder blades.

But to Merlin's greatest dismay, this time, his boyfriend didn't indulge him.

"Come on," he said softly. "We really have to get up, love."

"Why ?" Merlin snuffled, burying his face deeper into Arthur's chest.

Arthur's hand started to move up and down Merlin's back in a soothing rhythm, and Merlin practically purred at the caress, the soft touch dispelling any knots of tension that may have formed as sleep eluded him.

"It's a surprise," Arthur replied.

The words puzzled Merlin, as he didn't understand what was so special about the day that it would warrant an early awakening and a surprise. He suddenly hoped he hadn't forgotten any anniversary, as his memory was rarely reliable on those things. Where Arthur could remember every important date of their relationship (to the point that Merlin suspected he kept a very detailed calendar of it, in one of his numerous, colorful folders), Merlin would have missed their third-year anniversary if Arthur hadn't called him that very evening to remind him of the reservation.

There was a thought niggling at the back of his mind, telling him he was definitely missing something, but he couldn't for the life of him figure out what.

"What did I forget ?" he mumbled, sorry to have to ask, as it meant he hadn't planned anything for the day.

But Arthur only hummed, mostly unconcerned and a little bit amused. He poked at Merlin's flank, nonplussed, and Merlin squirmed away, knowing Arthur would have no qualms about using his ticklish weakness to his advantage. He had done it many times before, whenever he thought Merlin needed cheering up, and it would have been annoying if Arthur wasn't so damn endearing when he acted like a repressed schoolboy.

"Only you, Merlin" Arthur chuckled, and there was something in his tone, a certain fondness, that made Merlin think he had expected it. "Only you."

Merlin's breathing paused for a second. What was so important that only someone like him, head in the clouds most of the time, would forget ? He raised his head fractionally, blinking a little owlishly, and found Arthur grinning down at him, perfectly, disgustingly awake.

"Oh, right," he mumbled as the fog cleared in his mind. "It's my birthday."

Arthur's eyes crinkled in mirth, giving him a boyish air no twenty-seven year old man should have. His hair, still wet from an earlier shower, only accentuated the impression, the blond strands spiking all over the place like the spines of a sea urchin. Arthur had probably done his morning run already, as he was always awake at sunrise, and had come back in bed just in time to soothe Merlin back to sleep, before he could start patting the bed around him and find it empty.

It was a weird sort of arrangement, but it worked. In their three years of living together, Merlin never had to wake up alone, not even if they had fought the night before. Overcome by a wave of tenderness, Merlin wondered for the umpteenth time what he had done to deserve such a boyfriend. The correct answer probably was that relationship weren't something to be deserving of, but then, Merlin wasn't exactly aware enough to do anything but think he must have saved an angel's life at some point, and that the angel had gifted him in return with the most perfect man one could ever hope for.

"Very good," Arthur said, tone voluntarily condescending as he tried to get a rise out of Merlin. "Now come on, breakfast is waiting."

Or maybe not.

"I don't want to get up," Merlin whined petulantly. "I want sleep. Give me sleep."

Arthur hummed, no doubt aware that it was useless to argue with him in this state. Switching tactics, he ventured his hand down to the swell of Merlin's arse, squeezing appreciatively, and Merlin nearly squeaked, indignant. There was no way he could go back to sleep then, not with the arousal curling low in his belly, and he brought his hand up in retaliation, swiftly pinching a highly sensitive nipple.

Arthur groaned, head slamming back on his pillow, and Merlin smiled smugly as Arthur raised an eyebrow at him.

"Must you, Merlin ?" he demanded, feigning exasperation. "Must you really ?"

"You woke me up. _On my birthday._"

Arthur rolled his eyes at the emphasis, his hand coming back up to tangle into the mess of dark curls Merlin liked to call hair, but was really more of a bird's nest.

"Yes, I did," he replied, thumb resting at Merlin's nape. "Remind me to just let my alarm do the job next time."

Merlin pondered that statement for a second, his fingers tracing idle patterns on the fine blond hair dusting his boyfriend's chest. His alarm, he'd heard many times, was obnoxious at best : Arthur, for all that his internal clock was regulated to the minute, was otherwise impossible to rouse. Merlin had tried, once, to vacuum the apartment during Arthur's sleeping period, and Arthur's only reaction had been to start snoring.

"No," Merlin finally replied, barely articulated though he was fully awake. "I don't want to have to smash your phone to pieces. Waking up to a heart attack isn't exactly pleasant."

"I guessed as much," Arthur replied, tugging at an offending stray curl at Merlin's nape. "See ? I can be thoughtful, too."

Merlin snorted. Of course, Arthur could be thoughtful - as long as no one ever knew about it. He had his father to thank for it, obviously : growing up in a household where love was expressed through stern reprimands and an overflowing bank account had left Arthur painfully stunted in all emotional matters.

It had taken, after all, two whole years of friendship and pining before Merlin noticed anything and took matters into his own hands. He'd swallowed his own doubts and asked Arthur out on the spot, sparking what would become his most serious relationship to date. He'd been surprised, as well, since Arthur had no trouble expressing himself in public, to learn that words such as I love you or I care about you weren't ones he'd ever said before.

Of course Arthur cared, but he tended to show it, rather than say it. It had taken Merlin a while to catch on, too.

The sudden stillness of Arthur's hand on his scalp told him he had taken too long to answer, and Merlin arched his back a little to prompt him to continue.

"Yes, you are," he said firmly. "Now stop pouting. It's my birthday. You know what that means, right ?"

He rolled his hips suggestively, his body fitting perfectly against Arthur, and the latter groaned softly, both annoyed and aroused :

"No, no, no," he said, though he sounded like he very much wanted to continue. "Merlin, not now."

"Why ?"

"I told you, it's a surprise," Arthur replied, taunting Merlin a little.

His eyes were bright, and he looked relaxed and _happy_ in a way he rarely let himself be. Not that Arthur wasn't happy in general, but he tended to be less overt about it, his emotions carefully kept under wraps whenever there were other people around. _Other people_ had included Merlin, at first, but the more their relationship blossomed, the more he'd gotten to see of Arthur, and it hit him then, how lucky he was, and how seeing Arthur like that, cheeks slightly flushed, skin warm to the touch, smelling of lavender soap and citrus shampoo, was worth every effort he'd ever put into the relationship.

"Besides," Arthur added with a secret smile, "breakfast will get cold, and you don't want that, do you ?"

This was the second time Arthur mentioned breakfast, and yet it took Merlin a few seconds to process the information. He knew he wasn't quite bright in the mornings, his neurons fast asleep until the first cup of coffee, but thankfully - during those times, at least - Arthur had enough brain cells for two.

"Breakfast ?"

"Obviously," Arthur replied, raising a shoulder in the tiniest shrug. "It's your birthday."

"Pancakes ?" Merlin asked, eyes a bit too wide, hesitant and hopeful all at once.

Arthur hummed, ducking his head to hide his smile.

"Pancakes," he confirmed. "With scrambled eggs and bacon. And coffee," he added as an afterthought. "Lots of."

As if on cue, Merlin's stomach grumbled lightly, drawing a laugh from Arthur that made his entire body shake.

"Come on," he said, planting a quick kiss at the top of Merlin's head. "I don't want to be late."

He tried to roll over, but Merlin was clinging to him as if he was a lifeline.

"Late for what ?"

"Surprise, Merlin," Arthur chided. "And if you're quick enough to eat, I might have the time to blow you in the shower. Now will you please get up ?"

Merlin frowned a little, weighing his options, before letting go of Arthur. The latter stood and rummaged into his drawer, pulling out his favorite underwear with a triumphant smile. He left the bedroom clad in nothing but his bright red pants, the material decorated with tiny crowns, and Merlin didn't know if he should laugh or shake his head in mock despair.

He sprawled onto the bed instead, blinking at his alarm clock, and untangled the sheets from his legs, grabbing his phone to check his messages. It was still early enough that only Will had sent him one, as his best and oldest friend made a point to wish him a _happy fucking birthday_ at midnight every year. Merlin resolved to call his mother in the evening, as she was just as scatterbrained as him but would berate him relentlessly if he dared _make her forget her son's birthday._

Granted, it wasn't exactly how Merlin would have phrased things, but one did not argue with Hunith Emrys if one wanted to taste her chocolate chip cookies ever again.

He waited a few minutes more, stretching his limbs, and expected Arthur to call him once the food was ready. The smell of warm pancakes and grilled bacon wafted into the air, making Merlin salivate, and a second later Arthur came back into the room instead, carefully holding a tray. He sat beside Merlin, who quickly scrambled up against the headboard, extending his legs to allow Arthur to place the tray on his thighs.

Just like Arthur had promised, there was a mug of black coffee, pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon, all more appetizing than the others. Not only that, but Arthur had also bought fresh fruit, no doubt in the corner shop down the street while on the way back from his morning run.

Merlin inhaled blissfully, and turned to Arthur to press a butterfly kiss on his lips.

"You spoil me," he chided gently, "you shouldn't have."

Arthur had a firm _no food in the bedroom_ rule, as he claimed one should always eat seated at a table, with a plate, a fork and a knife - and a _napkin_. A proper napkin, folded in square, used sparingly and with dignity and decorum. On their third date, Merlin had brought Arthur to a kebab stand, and the horrified look on his face had been priceless.

Almost as much as the one on Merlin's own when, for their fourth date, Arthur had brought him to the poshest restaurant he knew, eyes crinkling in laughter every time Merlin used the wrong cutlery.

Merlin had been a bit unsure about them, wondering how it was even possible to fit together when they were so different, their upbringings like a barrier between them that, at the time, had felt infranchissable. The scene at the restaurant had only cemented that impression, and Merlin had almost given up, stung by Arthur's mirth at his own inadequacy.

Until a week or two afterwards, when, knackered after a long week of finals, they had ordered some pizza, and Arthur had looked at him with this thoughtful expression, a faint frown on his brow, before taking a slice with his bare hands and eating like this, uncaring of the oil on his fingers or the tomato sauce at the corner of his mouth.

It was that very same expression Arthur displayed when he shrugged :

"Why not ?" he asked nonchalantly. "I like to spoil you."

Merlin ducked his head, smiling, and Arthur gently carded a hand through his hair before nodding at the food :

"Eat," he commanded, though he failed to appear in any way intimidating. "We leave in forty minutes."

"Leave for where ?" Merlin asked, rather innocently.

Arthur raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed, and Merlin grinned at him before taking a bite of his food, moaning at the taste flooding his mouth like heaven wrapped in perfectly squishy pancakes. Arthur truly had surpassed himself - though he had always been a great cook - and the rest of the food was just as good as the pancakes. He munched happily, Arthur watching him all the while, a little bewildered by the speed with which Merlin wolfed down his breakfast.

"So good," Merlin mumbled when he was done, eyes closing in bliss as he took a cautious sip of warm coffee.

"Do you want another serving ?" Arthur asked, and Merlin could hear the amusement in his voice.

He pondered the offer for the time it took him to glance at his alarm clock, and he frowned a little. Arthur had said forty minutes, and there was only twenty-five of them remaining. He wasn't exactly hungry anymore, and besides, there would be time to eat later. Now, though, Arthur was gazing at him with warmth in his eyes, and there was nothing Merlin wanted more than to curl into his arms.

"I think I'm good," he replied, licking at his lips. "Thank you."

Arthur hummed as he stood, gathering the plates and stacking them neatly on the tray. He was about to bring the latter back to their kitchen when Merlin covered his hands with his own, gently lowering the tray on the nightstand. He then fitted his fingers at Arthur's nape and pulled him closer :

"Now," he murmured, a sly smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "I seem to remember something about a shower ?"

Arthur let out a dry laugh and came willingly, bending his head to fit his lips over Merlin's.

"Of course you would remember that," he said, and put one knee on the bed, curling his hand around Merlin's shoulder to keep his balance.

Understanding that as the invitation it was, Merlin kissed him back eagerly, opening his mouth to Arthur's tongue. They kissed leisurely, hands roaming on each other's bodies, until Merlin slid down the bed before tugging at Arthur so that he would sprawl all over him, his warm weight pressing him to the mattress. Arthur made a small _ommph_ sound as he fell on Merlin's chest, Merlin chuckling lightly in answer.

He wasted no time to deepen the kiss, the slow, wet strokes of Arthur's tongue making his toes curl. This was something they should indulge in more often, Merlin thought as Arthur cupped his face between his palms. The intimacy of a quiet morning, their bodies pressed against each other, an unhurried tenderness in every touch.

At the beginning of their relationship, Merlin had thought that Arthur would have as much difficulties with physical affection as he had with verbally expressing his feelings. And he had been right, at first : if Arthur had never minded holding his hand in the street or kissing his cheek at the pub, cuddling had been another matter entirely. It was only when Merlin had expressed his own desire that he'd realized Arthur had been waiting for his permission all along, without knowing how to ask for it.

Once they had settled around each other, though, after several rounds of passionate sex and even more rounds of talking it out, Arthur had basically turned into a teddy bear, wrapping his arms around Merlin whenever he could, when he was cooking, when he was cleaning, or in bed, just before they went to sleep.

When he did, Merlin would tilt his head back to rest on Arthur's shoulders, sighing contentedly, and lose himself in the embrace until Arthur would place the softest kiss just behind his ear and let him go.

Merlin would go back to whatever he was doing, then, a little bit of warmth lodged inside his chest.

But right now, Merlin was content to just lay there, face buried at the juncture of Arthur's neck, breathing him in, hoping the moment would never end.

"I love you," he mumbled as Arthur held him close, so close Merlin could feel the beating of his heart.

"Love you too," Arthur replied, easy and open, as if those weren't words he'd been unable to say during the first year of their relationship, their weight too heavy for his tongue.

He raised his head a little, blinking at the nightstand, and added :

"Also, we leave in fifteen minutes."

Merlin let out a sound that was half grumble and half laugh, but when Arthur stood and held out his hand in leverage for him to hoist himself up, he went without complaints.

"So," he said conversationally, "about that surprise..."

"It's no use, Merlin, I won't tell you a thing."

"Not even a clue ?"

Merlin blinked his eyes at Arthur, biting his trembling lips in an expression his boyfriend had never been able to resist, and smothered a snort as Arthur groaned :

"That's playing dirty," he complained, but there was a smile on his lips, exasperated and fond.

"Oh, but you would know all about that, love, wouldn't you ?"

Arthur raised an eyebrow at him, amused, before swatting his arse, making Merlin yelp :

"Yes, I would," he replied, unbelievably smug. "Now come on. Shower's waiting."

***

In the end, Arthur didn't have the time to blow Merlin in the shower, but he did make up for it by kissing him thoroughly against the tiles. Merlin was only slightly miffed : it wasn't every day he got to see Arthur completely, gloriously naked, with warm water sliding down his broad chest and strong arms. Arthur wasn't lean by any mean, though ; his stomach was a bit softer than the rest of him, and his muscles were built for strength, rather than looks. He wouldn't have won a bodybuilding competition, but had no problems throwing Merlin over his back as if he weighed nothing.

Arousal curling inside him, Merlin had half the mind to go on his knees himself, but Arthur's alarm resounded shrilly inside the bathroom, and Merlin rested his forehead on Arthur's shoulder, groaning.

"Sorry, love," Arthur chuckled, not sounding sorry at all. "Later, yeah ?"

Merlin hummed, knowing Arthur would make good on his promise, and kissed him again, open-mouthed, before turning the water to the coldest setting and flinging himself out of the shower to dry up and get dressed. Arthur emitted a satisfying yelp and Merlin smirked as he toweled at his hair.

"MERLIN !"

Arthur was quick to follow after him, the fire in his eyes promising exquisite revenge. Not that Merlin would ever admit looking forward to it : Arthur was rather generous in bed whenever he got in one of these moods. Still, now wasn't the time to pursue such train of thoughts. Just like everything else in his life, Arthur's schedule was neatly ordered - events planned to the minute, outings staged months in advance - and Merlin knew he wouldn't take too kindly to being late for whatever he had planned.

They ended up leaving the flat with two minutes to spare, which Arthur seemed incredibly pleased about, and raced each other to the lift when it opened on a neighbor. The latter, accustomed to their antics - he had met them sprawled on each other in front of the door to his own flat, appallingly drunk and babbling endearments at each other - merely sidestepped them with a customary nod, which Merlin returned with a delighted smile.

Merlin's mirth dwindled quickly, however, when upon climbing into their car, Arthur handed him a blindfold to put on.

"Oh no," Merlin warned. "I am not wearing that thing. No way."

Arthur cocked his head to the side, lips pressing into the most ridiculous pout Merlin had ever seen :

"Pretty please ?" he replied.

Merlin hadn't expected him to be so keen on keeping their destination a surprise. He knew he could always refuse - Arthur had never, in all the years he'd known him, pressured him to do something he didn't want to - but Arthur looked so earnest, eyes wide and bright and impossibly blue, that Merlin just couldn't refuse him.

"Fine," he grumbled, snatching the blindfold from Arthur's outstretched hand. "But if you're taking me to a surprise party, I'm filing for divorce."

"We're not even married, love," Arthur replied, unconcerned, as he started the engine. "Besides, you know I wouldn't do that to you."

Merlin gingerly admitted that Arthur had a point. After five years of relationship, his boyfriend knew very well how much he hated surprise parties - especially the ones he hadn't been warned about. He was easily overwhelmed and never quite knew how he should react : should he squeal in surprise ? Pretend to be delighted ? Clap his hands over his mouth to show how very touched he supposedly was ? The whole thing was just an embarrassing affair for all parties involved, and he knew Arthur wouldn't subject him to that.

"Just the two of us ?" he asked nonetheless, just to be sure.

"Just the two of us," Arthur confirmed, and the absolute certainty in his voice convinced Merlin that he was telling the truth.

Merlin pursued his lips before nodding once, carefully tying the blindfold over his eyes, as to not be able to see a thing - if Arthur wanted their destination to be a surprise, then a genuine surprise it would be.

They drove in relative silence, Arthur quietly humming along to whatever song was passing on the radio. Strangely, no matter the kind of music it was, Arthur always seemed to know the lyrics by heart. He did have an impressive memory, that much Merlin knew, but hearing him sing along to some old Russian song had him realize there was probably more to it than he'd previously thought.

He felt Arthur park the car and kill the engine roughly fifteen minutes later, and his boyfriend cleared his throat :

"We're here," Arthur said, a little unnecessarily. "Do you want to remove the blindfold now, or wait to be inside ?"

"I'd rather take it off now," Merlin admitted, and Arthur obliged without protest.

Merlin blinked his eyes a few times as the grey light of a cloudy day assaulted his pupils. It took him a moment to adjust, but when he did, it was to see Arthur watching him intently, a small smile on his lips that did more to calm Merlin's nerves than knowing exactly where he was.

"Ready ?" Arthur asked.

Merlin nodded, smiling in turn. Arthur's enthusiasm was infectious, and Merlin felt a tingle of excitement trail down his arms. Arthur was gorgeous like this, grinning like a child in a toy shop, his shoulder relaxed, his eyes shining.

"So, where are we going ?" Merlin asked, least he do something stupid like kissing Arthur silly.

Arthur pointed to something on Merlin's right, and Merlin followed his finger to a subdued building, the name _Freya's Furry Friends_ written in bold letters above the entrance. A dog barked in the distance, and from there it wasn't hard to figure out where Arthur had brought him. His heart missed a beat when comprehension dawned, and he whipped toward Arthur, eyes wide and mouth half open in shock, not quite daring to believe just yet.

"Is this really what I think it is ?" he asked, breathless and a little bit awed.

"I do believe so," Arthur replied.

He shrugged, but Merlin wasn't fooled : Arthur couldn't even hide his smile properly.

"That's an _animal shelter_," Merlin pointed out.

"Yes, it is."

"But...but..." Merlin sputtered, "why ?"

Arthur eyed him as if he were daft, his eyebrow climbing nearly all the way to his airline in a look he couldn't have learned from any other than Gaius. Merlin spared a thought for his treacherous uncle, wondering why he'd taught The Eyebrow to Arthur and not to him, feeling a little jealous of that fact.

"I thought it was rather obvious," Arthur replied, speaking slowly as if he were talking to a child.

His eyes were crinkled, though, and a mixture of amusement and glee danced within.

"I know why," Merlin huffed, waving a frustrated hand. "But...how ? We never talked about...getting an animal, or whatever it is you have planned."

He was elated, of course, but also genuinely curious : he'd never told Arthur he would like to adopt a cat, a pet to call his own. And yet, he doubted Arthur would have chosen that as a surprise if he wasn't absolutely sure it would be well received.

"Well," Arthur admitted, "remember that party a few weeks ago ? For Gwen's and Lance's engagement ?"

"The one we ended up leaving early because I had drunk too much champagne and couldn't stay upright ?"

"Yeah, that one," Arthur chuckled. "Well, you mentioned it then. That you've always wanted a cat, but you mum was allergic, and then you didn't have enough money to pay for all the expenses. With a lot of slurring and stumbling, of course, but I think I got the gist of it."

"And you decided we would get a cat, just like that ?"

Instead of just agreeing to what was for all intent and purposes a rhethorical question, Arthur looked away, fingers clenching slightly on the steering wheel, jaw locked. There was a faint blush working its way up his cheeks, and he took a deep breath before answering, turning his gaze back to Merlin, suddenly serious.

"Not quite," he replied. "It's just, you wanted a cat, and I'm not opposed to the idea, really. And I thought it couldn't hurt to have some practical experience with an animal before..."

He trailed off, looking flustered, and Merlin knew where this was going, yet he couldn't help but ask :

"Before ?"

"Having kids," Arthur said, exhaling heavily, as if the weight of the words had just been lifted from his shoulders.

"You're not...," Merlin breathed out, "you're not seriously considering..."

"Yeah, I am," Arthur replied with a wan smile. "I mean, we need to talk about it, obviously. We already know how mentally draining the procedures can be, so it wouldn't be soon anyway, with your promotion coming up and me taking over dad's company. But maybe one day, in two or three years ? Unless...unless you don't want to. I mean, with me."

The last word sounded a bit like a question, and Merlin was quick to answer, aware that he'd told Arthur already - about wanting children when he was older, of having a family of his own.

"I wouldn't want them with anyone else," he promised, cupping Arthur's cheek with one hand, feeling the tension seep out of him. "We'll talk about it, yeah ? I mean, it's huge. I don't think I'm ready for that responsibility yet."

"I know," Arthur replied. "And me neither, to be honest. That's why I thought we could adopt a cat, just like you wanted. An animal to provide and care for. So I started asking around, and Leon gave me the number of the owner of the shelter. Freya, as it turned out, said she just received a stray litter of kittens. She promised to have the papers ready today, so that we could just come and meet them. And if all went well, we could pick on and take it home."

He smiled, softly, as if he was afraid to scare Merlin away, and added :

"I just thought you would like it."

"I do," Merlin replied, a little fervent, and he knew he looked ridiculously happy, grinning so wide there were dimples on his cheeks, but he couldn't find it in himself to care, not when Arthur was looking at him like that. "I do, Arthur, fuck, this is perfect. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Arthur muttered, cheeks flushing as he ducked his head. "The kitten might destroy the couch or something. Or tear your favorite pillow to shreds."

"Arthur," Merlin admonished, shaking his head slightly, chuckling. "I don't care. Let's go inside, yeah ? And if the kittens maul us, at least we'll have a nice story to tell. Now come on," he added with fondness softening his voice, "we don't want to arrive late, do we ?"

***

Freya was a petite woman with long, shiny black hair and an incredibly pale skin, dressed in comfortable clothing and high combat boots. She greeted them with a kind smile as she looked up from her desk, smile which widened when she recognized Arthur :

"Mr. Pendragon, it's her pleasure to meet you again."

Her voice was warm and a little cheerful, though her tone was surprisingly formal, contrasting with the ease she was holding herself with.

"And you must be Merlin Emrys ?" she asked, turning toward Merlin.

Her dark eyes twinkled mischievously as Merlin nodded, puzzled by her enthusiasm.

"Pleased to finally meet you. And a happy birthday to you," she sing songed. "I do hope you will find a match with one of the kittens."

Merlin thanked her, a little bit unsure, and she winked at him before turning to Arthur :

"Everything's ready for you, as promised," she said, switching back to a more professional stance. "Please follow me."

She guided them to a side corridor and led them to a small room, with bright white walls, a window opening to the exterior of the building and another on another room, and a soft blanket laid on the floor :

"Here. Please make yourselves comfortable, I'll be right back."

Exchanging a glance, they both complied, sitting cross-legged on the floor, amidst the colorful toys strewn around. Freya came back a few minutes later, holding a large basket covered in a thin cloth, that she placed in front of them with an indulgent smile. She then removed the cloth, revealing the kittens inside, and stood :

"I'll leave you to it," she said. "I'll be right in the next room of you need me. For safety reasons, though, I'll be able to see you through the window."

They nodded in assent as she left, carefully closing the door behind her. Just as the door clicked shut, Merlin heard a soft meowing sound, and instantly reported his attention to the basket holding the kittens.

There were seven of them nestled inside, laying on top of each other. Two of them were pitch black, while three others were a mixture of black and white, the patches of lighter fur more prominent on their legs and around their noses. Only one of them was completely white, huddled on one side, as if its mother were a printer that had run out of ink. Most appeared to be napping, resting on an oversize pillow, but one of them had its tiny mouth open on a surprisingly large yawn, and blinked a little before rousing on its paws. Its gaze settled on Merlin, curious, and it meowed again in greeting.

"Hello, you," Merlin murmured, a ridiculously tender smile on his lips.

"Mrow," the kitten replied.

"Pleased to meet you too," Merlin whispered, and hesitantly held out one hand for the kitten to sniff.

The kitten cautiously wobbled closer, nosing at Merlin's hand, and apparently deemed him harmless, as it's tail swished around and it headbutted Merlin's palm, practically demanding to be petted. Merlin obliged, caressing the dark and incredibly soft fur with delicate fingers, and was rewarded by a loud purr that had no business coming out of an animal so small.

The sound startled the rest of the kittens out of their slumber, and one by one they yawned and stretched, looking around curiously, alert, waiting for any sign of danger. One of them, bolder than the others, hopped out of the basket and went to get acquainted with its surroundings. The others, apparently understanding that the room presented no dangers, quickly followed, stumbling onto the floor with hazardous steps, as if they hadn't quite figured out yet how to walk properly.

They moved around, sniffing here and there, viciously biting on a plastic mouse and even, for one of them, getting tangled in a ball of yarn.

Utterly charmed, Arthur went to rescue the unfortunate cat, which was meowing quite indignantly, and carefully removed the strands of yarn from its claws. Far from feeling grateful, the kitten attacked Arthur's finger with quite a fervent dedication, and Merlin started laughing uncontrollably as Arthur tried to remove the kitten without hurting it.

Once his finger was safely out of the kitten's reach - thankfully barely scratched, Merlin noted - Arthur sent a mock-glare in Merlin's direction, and quickly reported his attention to the last cat to leave the basket, which was insistently pawing at his jean clad legs. The snow white kitten quickly grew annoyed at being ignored, and in a surprisingly calculated move, hopped on Arthur's knee and started climbing his arm.

Arthur's eyes grew wide as, perched on his shoulder, the kitten then curled up on itself and rested its head at the crook of Arthur's neck, its tail gently tickling the skin right under his ear. Resisting the urge to coo at them both, Merlin shuffled closer on his knees, the black kitten nestled in his lap, and presented his hand to the cat. The latter didn't react, at first, blinking owlishly, but when Merlin trailed a delicate finger along its spine, marveling at the softness of the fluffiest fur he'd ever seen, the kitten started purring loudly.

It was as if a machine had been started, and Arthur chuckled as he turned his head to the side, watching the kitten from the corner of his eye. The white cat wasn't the only one brave enough to climb on Arthur, though, and soon enough there were two kittens curled up on his lap, one on each shoulder, and a last one halfway up his arm, enthusiastically playing with the material of his shirt.

The second black kitten, for its part, was ignoring them superbly, as if it was too noble for such plebeians, and the sight faintly reminded Merlin of Arthur's nephew, Mordred, who tended to act like some sort of royalty whenever there were strangers around, but was really the sweetest kid with people he knew.

"If I had my camera," Merlin whispered as to not startle the kitten sleeping on his thighs, "I would have taken a hundred pictures by now."

Arthur chuckled a little, hiding a wince when the kitten on his arm scratched at his skin with a too sharp claw, and smiled warmly at Merlin :

"We'll be able to take pictures once we're home," he replied, shrugging as much as he could without dislodging the kittens. "I mean, if we do adopt one, but I think it's safe to say we get along well, so I don't see why we wouldn't."

"No," Merlin said, gaze falling on the white kitten, which was now sleeping, still curled up against Arthur's neck. "No, I don't see why we wouldn't, either."

All in all, they spent roughly an hour playing with the kittens, watching them run around like tiny predators to pursue the plastic toys, or paw at each other, curious and affectionate, at the exception of the white one, which seemed quite content to remain perched on Arthur's shoulder.

At some point though, as Merlin laid on the ground, arms open, the white kitten roused on its tiny legs and basically jumped on Merlin's chest, landing with a small mrow sound and pawing at the cotton threads of his shirt, its tiny claws getting stuck more often then not, to the kitten's greatest dismay. It jumped around a little - Merlin tried not to wriggle to much as the claws grazed the skin of his stomach, but he was having troubles, if Arthur's amused expression was any indication - before laying decisively down, opening a disturbingly large mouth on a sweet yawn.

The kitten then promptly went back to sleep, Merlin its chosen pillow, and Merlin felt an indescribable sense of pride as it started rumbling. A surge of tenderness warmed him from the inside out, and he smiled, a little besotted, as he raised his gaze to Arthur.

His boyfriend was watching him intently, his head cocked to the side. The rest of the kittens, tired of playing, were sprawled in various positions around him, one curled on his lap, another against his thigh, and the others in increasingly weird poses on the thin blanket covering the floor. One had even climbed back into the basket, and laid there, all paws directed upward, fast asleep.

"So," Arthur murmured, captivating Merlin's attention once more. "I take it you've made your choice ?"

Merlin blinked, a little surprised, as he hadn't, in all the time they'd played with them, voiced a preference for any of the kittens. But Arthur's eyes were filled with warmth as they trailed on the white kitten, splayed on Merlin's chest, and yeah, perhaps his boyfriend knew him too well, if he had known which kitten Merlin would pick, even before Merlin knew himself.

"I guess I have," he replied, voice a little rough with emotion. "I mean, I love them all, but..."

"But this one's special, right ?" Arthur prodded, a soft smile curving his lips.

The sweetness of it stole the air from Merlin's lungs, the light in Arthur's eyes, utterly loving, making him blush.

"Shut up," he muttered, "it's your favorite too."

Arthur didn't even try to deny it, and shrugged before sliding closer, careful not to disturb the other kittens. The move must have alerted the one on Merlin's chest though, for it opened its crystal blue eyes wide and let out a fairly pathetic mewl. Arthur chuckled and cupped the kitten between his palm, gently, and pressed the tiniest kiss on its head.

"I don't think we'll adopt her, really," he mused, eyes crinkling. "I rather think she'll adopt us."

"I think she already did," Merlin replied, cheeks dimpling. "See ? You're already besotted."

The kitten meowed then, licking at her paw as if in agreement. As if on cue, Freya came back into the room, cautiously closing the door behind her so that the kittens wouldn't run amok in the shelter's corridors, and smiled kindly at them both :

"You'll take this one, I presume ?" she said, pointing to the kitten nestled between Arthur's palm.

Merlin exchanges a glance with Arthur, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah," he replied softly, "this one. Does she have a name ?"

"Not yet," Freya replied, thoughtful. "I've been wanting to name them ever since they came in, but I know people generally prefer to name the pets they adopt, so I thought I'd wait a little while. You can name her, if you'd like."

Merlin looked up at Arthur, eyes a bit wide, and Arthur let out a put upon sigh :

"Of course," he said, shaking his head, a wry smile on his lips. "It's your gift, remember ?"

Merlin smiled widely - like a child in a toy shop, bright and genuinely happy - and inclined his head a little, looking at the white kitten. Several names swirled in succession in his mind ; names related to the color of her fur, or of her eyes, to the cuteness of her paws or the powerful rumble of her purring. However, while the names would suit a kitten perfectly, they might be too cheesy for an adult cat.

And while the kitten was adorable, Merlin wanted her to grow up as a fearsome beast, a cat of legend, proud like a dragon, and just as awe inspiring. A smile spread on his face, and he murmured :

"Aithusa. You'll be called Aithusa."

Arthur hummed, an approving sound, and the kitten meowed in turn.

"Aithusa," Freya murmured. "It suits her."

***

After Arthur had helped Freya put the kittens back in the basket, to return them to their dedicated room, Freya brought them the cage they would use to get Aithusa back home. Arthur, apparently, had already bought all the necessary items, and had entrusted them to Freya for the time it would take to pick a cat to adopt.

They signed the papers together, listening with attention to Freya's recommendations, and taking notes to remember what they'd have to do, bring Aithusa to the vet, make sure she was properly chipped, and that she got all the shots she needed not to get sick.

Soon, they were both back to the parking, head full of information and advice on how to take care of a kitten as young as Aithusa. Heart beating a little fast - from nervosity or elation, Merlin couldn't tell - they settled inside the car, Arthur behind the wheel, Merlin at his side, Aithusa's cage safely attached on the backseat. Thankfully, Freya had promised they could call if they had any question, saying that she would be happy to answer them.

That, at least, had reassured them, and they had left with warm goodbyes and a tiny kitten to care for.

"Maybe we could come back sometimes," Merlin said, a little out of the blue. "And bring Mordred."

Arthur hummed :

"So you noticed, too ?" he said. "The black one. They would get along splendidly."

Merlin nodded, chuckling a little.

"So," Arthur said quietly. "This is it."

"Yeah," Merlin breathed out, smiling, as he couldn't quite believe his luck yet. "This is it. Best birthday ever."

Little did he know that the very next year, Arthur would propose to him, with the ring tied around Aithusa's neck. But for now, Merlin was content to look out the window, his hand on Arthur's thigh, and let his boyfriend drive them home.


End file.
